Conventional electrolytic refining of nonferrous metal such as copper or zinc alternately arranges anode plates and cathode plates (electrode plates) in an electrolytic bath having an aqueous solution of salt of a target metal. The electrode plates are energized for a predetermined time, and are lifted to leave the electrolytic bath. The electrolytic refining may be implemented by an electrode plate transportation apparatus. This apparatus is capable of horizontally moving the electrode plates in a suspended state to the position above the electrolytic bath. Further, the electrode plate transportation apparatus is capable of lifting and lowering the electrode plates after the horizontal transportation, so that the electrode plates can be placed in and drawn from the electrolytic bath.
The electrode plate transportation apparatus has multiple holding members (hooks) arranged in parallel. The hooks hold the electrode plates in the suspended state. This kind of apparatus is described in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 55-36277 (Document 1) or Japanese Patent No. 3579802 (Document 2).
An electrode plate transportation apparatus described in Document 1 (named automatic electrode plate replacement apparatus in Document 1) has rails provided at opposite sides of the electrolytic bath. The electrode plates may be moved along the rails and may be stopped. The apparatus is equipped with an electrode plate suspending platform capable of moving up and down. An electrode plate transportation apparatus described in Document 2 has a mechanism for placing and drawing the suspended cathode plates in and from the electrolytic bath, in which the mechanism can move along a guide rail.
In the suspended type apparatus as described in Document 2, a shock may occur when the electrode plates (cathode plates) shifts to the stationary state from the moving state, and the cathode plates may swing greatly. Document 2 proposes to use a swing blocking bar for mechanically preventing the cathode plates from swing.
However, the mechanical blocking may deform the electrode plates and may cause faulty electrodeposition due to deformation of the electrode plates.
When wires are used to suspend the electrode plates, the electrode plates may lose balance. This may cause the member for holding the electrode plates to be horizontally rotated and may make it difficult place the electrode plates in the electrolytic bath.